Yip Yang (SIN #11) attempting a shot. (Photo 1 © Matthew Lau/Red Sports)
Story by Nicholina Chua/Red Sports. Photos by Matthew Lau/Red Sports
OCBC Aquatic Centre, Sunday, June 14 2015 — Singapore moved another step closer to defending their water polo title with an emphatic 23-2 win over the Philippines. The hosts are gunning for their 26th consecutive SEA Games title, while the Filipinos, who did not participate in the last edition of the Games, were runners-up in the 2011 Games.
Although the Filipinos had come into this game as underdogs, they came out with guns blazing, surprising the hosts with the first attempt at goal, albeit an unsuccessful one.
The hosts, who rested several key players at the start, finally drew first blood two minutes into the game through driver Chiam Kunyang (SIN #7). His goal was soon followed by two more from Lin Diyang (SIN #2) and Yip Yang (SIN #11), each scoring about a minute apart.
Paul Tan (#6) was the next to get his name on the scoresheet, as he went in unmarked to put one past Flipino goalkeeper, Tani Gomez Jr. (PHI #1). Singapore then scored three more goals through Loh Zhi Zhi (SIN #3) and Lin Diyang (SIN #2) to end the first quarter 7-0 up.
The second quarter began the same way as the first, with the Singaporeans camped in the Filipino half. Singapore put another four more past the hapless Filipino keeper before Reynaldo Salonga Jr. (PHI #7) pulled one back for the visitors. The first half ended 11-1 in Singapore’s favour.
Just 30 seconds into the second half, Singapore’s Yip Yang (SIN #11) scored his first of six goals in the game, as he powered forward unmarked. He would go on to score two more in similar fashion, as his marker just could not keep up with him.
A minute and a half later, a lucky bounce from a shot by Juan Pablo Serrano (PHI #12) went into the Singapore goal. Both teams were unsure if it would count at first, until the referee confirmed that it had gone in legally.
Sean Ang (SIN #10) would then go on to score two goals the same way Yip Yang did – unmarked – as the Singaporeans outswam the Filipinos time and again. Paul Tan (SIN #6) and Bryan Ong (#5) added one more goal each before the third quarter ended 17-2.
Although Singapore could’ve chosen to take their foot off the pedal in the fourth quarter, they took the opportunity to fine-tune their game play. They also capitalised on quick getaways and one penalty to put six more past the Filipino goalkeeper before the final buzzer.
Said goalkeeper Nigel Tay on the importance of this game: “This match is for us to really sit down, take a step back… and get ready for the game against Indonesia. We really want to win them. I think we are all geared up, and the crowd has been amazing for all of us.”
Overall, it was a highly physical game, with the Filipino players often charging into the Singaporeans out of frustration. In the end, the scoreline was capped at 23-2 due to numerous turnovers from the hosts, as well as several goal attempts that hit the crossbar and the goalposts.
Singapore will next play Indonesia at the OCBC Aquatic Centre on Tuesday, June 16 at 1.30pm
Score by Quarter
SIN vs PHI
1st quarter: 7-0
2nd quarter: 4-1 (11–1)
3rd quarter: 6–1 (17–2)
4th quarter: 6–0 (23 –2)
Scorers
SIN
Yip Yang (#11) – 6
Paul Tan (#6) – 4
Sean Ang (#10) – 3
Bryan Ong (#5) – 3
Loh Zhi Zhi (#3) – 2
Lin Diyang (#20 – 2
Eugene Teo (#4) – 1
Chiam Kunyang (#7) – 1
Ang An Jun (#8) – 1
PHI
Reynaldo Salonga Jr. (#7) – 1
Juan Pablo Serrano (#12) – 1
Singapore Roster
Nigel Tay (#1), Lin Diyang (#2), Loh Zhi Zhi (#3), Eugene Teo (#4), Bryan Ong (#5), Paul Louis Tan (#6), Chiam Kunyang (#7), Ang An Jun (#8), Marcus Goh (#9), Sean Ang (#10), Yip Yang (#11), Koh Jian Ying (#12), Lee Kai Yang (#13)
Philippine Roster
Tani Gomez Jr. (#1), Matthew Royce Yu (#2), Mcgyver Reyes (#3), Mark Jerwin Valdez (#4), Anota Mico (#5), Wilfredo Jr. Sunglao (#6), Reynaldo Salonga Jr. (#7), Romark Johnson Belo (#8), Norton Alamara (#9), Adan Gonzales (#10), Mummar Alamara (#11), Juan Paolo Serrano (#12), Abnel Amiladjid (#13)
2015 SEA Games Water Polo – fixtures and results
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